Engine



Aug. 10 1926., 1,595,9I7

E. A. OWEN ENGINE Filed August 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYWITNESS:

Aug W T1926 H,595,9l7

E. A. OWEN ENGINE Filed August 5. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZZwezui fizz/eraATTORN EY Patented Aug. li

llhllliill) ELMER A. O'WEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

. I i ENGINE.

Application filed. August 5, 1925. Serial No. 48,409.

lhis invention relates to engines either of the internal coiniuistion ortiuid pressure operav d type and has for its obj t the provision of anovel crank motion whereby to increase the power and pulling torquewithout changing the piston displacement, that is, without increasingthe bore or lengthening the stroke of the piston.

An important object the provision of an engine or similar deviceequipped internally with means whereby the point of con- TIQCtlOn of theconnecting rod with respect to the center of the crank shalt is itomatically varied whereby the levera e will be greatly increased. anddegree of power developed than is )(Zl'Sil'jlG in the ordinary type,whereby a short stroke ".10- tor or engine may be caused to developfully as much power as a long stroke one without the disadvantages ofincreasing the piston speed, or materially increasing vibration orfriction.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an engine of thischaracter in which the cylincer is otlsct with respect to the crankshaft whereby the explosion or power stroke will not occur on deadcenter.

A further object is to provide an engine, pump or the like, of thischaracter embody ing cam means for eil'ecting shifting of the point ofconnection of the connecting rod with respect to the axis of the cranrsha t, this cam means being, moreover, adjustable from the exterior ofthe motor so that the con'ipression ratio may be increased for highspeed by increasing the angle of setting of the cam or eccentric, whenused for an internal combustion engine.

An additional object is the provision of an engine of this characterwhich will be simple and inexpensive in mamitacture. easy to control andoperate, economical in fuel consumption, powerful in action, cilicientand durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

Nith the above and other objects and advantages in View, the inventionconsists in the details of construction, and the arrangement andcombination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompany 'ing drawings, in which Figure 1 isvertical section through the engine showing the connecting rod andpiston in one position.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a \li iierent position.

Figure 3 is a detail section taken at right angles to Figures 1 and 2showing the mounting of the cam means for effecting the automaticshitting.

Figure l is a detail view of the means tor adjusting the cam.

Figure 5 is an elevation taken at right ang es to Figure 4.

higure 6 is a detail perspective View of the member moved by the cam,and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail elevation showing a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l have shown the engine ascomprising any suitable or ordinary crank case 10 upon which is mountedthe cylinder 11. \Vhilc only one cylinder is mentioned it mould ofcourse be understood that there is no limitation in this respect asthere may be as many orv as few as desired within the scope of theinvention. Journaled long-itudinally within the crank case is the engineshaft 12 which is unprovided with c KS of ordinary construction butwhich carries a fly wheel 13 formed with a radially extending slot 14and provided at the side opposite the slot with an enlargement 15 forcounter-balancing purposes. Attention is directed to the fact that thecylinder 11 is oii'sct with respect to the longitudinal axis 01" theshaft 12 in order to avoid having the explosion or working stroke occurwhile the piston is on dead center.

Operating within the cylinder 11 in the usual manner is a piston 16carrying a connecting rod 17 which is pivotally connected upon a wristpin 18 carried by a block member 19 shdable along the slot 14. The

block 19 is formed upon or otherwise pro vided with an eccentric strap20 for a purpose to be described.

Mounted within the crank case is a cam or eccentric 21 located withinthe confines of the eccentric strap 20. It is desirable that this cam beadjustable from the outside of the motor and for this reason I haveshown it as having a hub portion 22 provided with teeth 23 and rotatablymounted within a suitable recess 2a in the end plate of the engine. Theoperating means for shifting the position of the cam preferably consistsof a worm 25 carried by a shaft 26 which is suitably journaled and whichmay be equipped with a handle 27 or which may be simply so formed as tobe capable of engagement by a wrench or the like whereby turningmovement may be imparted to it for the purpose of rotatably adjustingthe cam 21 into the desired position.

In the operation, it will be seen that when the piston 16 reciprocatesin well known manner under the influence of either fluid pressure or onaccount of the explosion of a combustible mixture, the fly wheel 13 willof course be rotated. However. owing to the provision of the cam 21 itis quite clear that the eccentric strap 20 surrounding it and carryingor carried by the block 19 on which the wrist pin 18 is mounted will bemoved in such a manner that the block 19 will travel radially along theslot 1 its distance from the shaft 12 varying constantly so as toincrease the leverage at the power stroke and thereby develop more powerthan is ordinarily the case in a short stroke motor. In this way it isquite clear that all the advantages of a long stroke motor will beobtained without the necessity of increasing the piston displacementthat is lengthening the stroke or otherwise changing the dimensions ofthe engine. It is also evident that there will be less vibrationinasmuch as there is no necessity for excessive speed to obtain thedesired power.

In Figure 7, I have shown a slight modification in which the cam 28,corresponding to the cam 21 is not adjustable but secured by means ofscrews 29.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will beapparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive andvery highly efficient engine depending for its advantageous featuresupon the peculiar connection of the connecting rod with the shaft, theconnection being such that there will be an automatic change in thedistance for increasing the leverage of the power stroke. It is believedthat the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparentto one skilled in the art without further explanation.

IVhile I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make suchchanges in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as Will notdepart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an engine including a piston, a connecting rod connected therewithand further including a shaft, a fly wheel on the shaft formed with aradial slot, a carriage slidable along the slot and equipped with awrist pin connected with the connecting rod, and cam means within thecrank case for moving the carriage, said means comprising a cam mountedwithin the crank case and arranged in a relatively stationary position,and an eccentric strap carried by the carriage and encircling the cam.

2. In an engine including a piston, a connecting rod connected therewithand furtherincluding a shaft, a fly wheel on the shaft formed with aradial slot, a carriage slidable along the slot and equipped with awrist pin connected with the connecting rod, and cam means within thecrank case for moving the carriage, said means comprising a cam mountedwithin the crank case and arranged in a relatively stationary position,and an eccentric strap carried by the carriage and encircling the cam,and means for shifting the position of the cam.

3. In an engine including a piston, a connecting rod connected therewithand further including a shaft, a fly wheel on the shaft formed with aradial slot, a carriage slidable along the slot and equipped with awrist pin connected with the connecting rod, and cam means within thecrank case for moving the carriage, said means comprising a cam mountedwithin the crank case and arranged in a relatively stationary position,and an eccentric strap carried by the carriage and encircling the cam,and means for shifting the position of the cam, including a toothed hubon the cam, and gear means operable from the exterior of the engine andengaging said toothed hub for effecting partial rotation thereof.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature.

ELMER A. OWEN

